Posts

SSTAR Expands Prevention Services

Fall 2016, Taunton, MA based addiction treatment center SSTAR will soon open a new facility. This location will provide prevention services and resources such as awareness events, physician training, and other educational efforts. This undertaking was spurred by the growing demand for these services at their other locations.

SSTAR Program Director Laura Washington and Task Force member Kiara Zea are leading this new effort. The City of Tauton has long been a champion in the fight against addiction. As Director Washington affirmed, “This municipality is very progressive and on the forefront of this epidemic…” In 2012, the state of Massachusetts declared opioid addiction a public health crisis. Since then, numbers have been on a steady increase. However, without the treatment, prevention and awareness measures taken since then, the numbers would certainly be even higher still.

Narcan Helps, But Only So Much

Lives are being saved everyday by the overdose reversing drug Narcan. For the past 3 year fire fighters in Taunton have been trained to administer Narcan. Unfortunately, “Some of the fatal deaths in town have been people that were revived with Narcan before, successfully, and then they ended up OD’ing,” according to Tim Bradshaw, chief of the Taunton Fire Department. This is the very nature of addiction.

This is why multiple approaches are so important. Approaches like SSTAR’s efforts toward increasing prevention services in addition to addiction treatment and recovery services help to make help available to people no matter where they are in their journey towards recovery.

About SSTAR

Established in 1977, SSTAR is a non-profit Massachusetts-based licensed health care and social services agency. They provide mental health and substance use treatment services to residents of Tauton. Their mission is to provide quality care and support services to individuals struggling with mental health and substance use disorders.

“Narcan (naloxone) blocks or reverses the effects of opioid medication, including extreme drowsiness, slowed breathing, or loss of consciousness…(Narcan) is used to treat a narcotic overdose in an emergency situation.”¹

The availability of this life saving drug is increasing state by state as communities are desperately trying to catch up with the startling number of overdose deaths. Narcan’s availability is no longer limited to hospital ER’s only. Because of the increase in demand, availability has extended to police, emergency response professionals, school clinics, and even to those who know someone who is addicted and at risk. However, Narcan training is needed for those seeking the ability to carry and administer this drug.

Staten Island University Hospital, Boston Public Health, and Brandywine Counseling are just a few addiction treatment facilities that have taken that crucial extra step and are offering certified overdose prevention training, via Narcan, to their communities. First of all, attendees learn how to identify the signs of overdose. Attendees will then learn how to administer Narcan. Finally, at the completion of training they will receive a free rescue kit. ²,³

If you, or someone you know is interested in learning more about overdose prevention and Narcan training programs in your area please visit SAMHSA’s website.

Partner Highlight

Evergreen Treatment Services ( ETS ) Executive Director Molly Carney and Research and Training Manager K. Michelle Peavy wrote an article entitled “A lifesaving drug for opioid addicts, but it’s not easy to get” that was published in the Seattle Times. It detailed their experiences in the treatment field; the importance of Naloxone (Narcan) and the pressing need for a shift in our nation’s perception of “addicts.”

Often reported in the news Naloxone (Narcan) is helping to save the lives of people who would otherwise succumb to overdose. The regulations about obtaining this life-saving medicine are hopefully expanding to other categories of people besides police and EMTs who are likely to need to administer Naloxone. Nevertheless, ETS makes the point that the focus should be on the public’s perception and treatment of people affected by addiction.

ETS Training Manager K. Michelle Peavy

Funding of recovery support is often outweighed by public opinion that finds it’s ‘not my fault, not my problem’. Looking at the associated costs of treatment, the taxpayers may prefer to have their tax dollars spent on projects or causes that are perceived to be more deserving. However, it is important to consider the cost of not providing treatment. Whether or not one feels that the community should be responsible for helping addicted individuals, one should not outweigh the very real and steep costs associated with individuals who are not in treatment; ER visits, jail time, etc. According to the State Department of Social and Health Services, “the risk of felony conviction is 83 percent lower for those in methadone treatment for more than one year, compared to opioid addicts who are untreated.” The National Institute on Drug Addiction (NIDA) estimates that illicit drug abuse costs our nation over 193 billion dollars annually in the form of crime, lost work productivity and healthcare.

In short the authors deduced that, “We need an integrated approach, which includes expanded access to treatment, to drive down rates of overdose and address opioid addiction.”

About ETS

“Evergreen Treatment Services is a private, 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization which has been delivering evidence-based addiction treatment services in Western Washington since 1973. Since our founding, we have earned a nationwide reputation for excellence in our work. Our interdisciplinary team of professionals includes clinicians with advanced degrees in medicine, psychiatry, nursing, psychology, social work, and counseling.